- Rescue efforts at a collapsed 16-storey building in South C, Nairobi, were temporarily suspended after a nearby 14-storey building showed signs of structural instability
- National Director of Disaster Management William Sifuna explained that the pillars of a nearby building had weakened due to the previous collapse.
- Authorities cordoned off the area, cleared the debris, and urged nearby residents to evacuate to prevent further casualties.
- Sifuna confirmed that once rescue operations resume, teams will assess the stability of surrounding structures, prioritizing neighborhood security
Rescue operations at a collapsed 16-storey building in South C, Nairobi, were temporarily suspended after a nearby 14-storey building showed signs of instability.
Source: UGC
The building, located along Muhoho Road, collapsed early Friday, January 2, leaving two people feared trapped under the debris.
Following the collapse, the multi-agency response involving the National Disaster Management Unit, Nairobi City County emergency teams, the National Police Service, Kenya Powerand the Kenya Red Cross cordoned off the scene.
Why did the rescue operations stop for a while?
However, the process was temporarily halted after those near the area felt the nearby 14-storey building shaking.
National Director of Disaster Management William Sifuna confirmed that the pillars of a nearby building were affected by the collapse, making it unstable.
He explained that the nearby building was weakened, with its columns affected by the previous collapse, thus posing a danger to residents and emergency workers.
Authorities moved quickly to clear the area, urging the public to leave surrounding buildings and stay away from the debris.
Sifuna stressed that the priority was to prevent further casualties and ensure the safety of all involved before resuming rescue efforts.
“This other building nearby was also affected because its pillars were hit and it’s like it’s weak. So we’re trying to evacuate people and control the crowd to avoid more casualties,” Sifuna said.
Videos from the scene showed security officers controlling the crowd and urging residents and journalists to back away from the danger zone.
Many covered their noses with surgical masks to protect themselves from the dust from the dirt.
“Go back… go back. Go back, you’re risking your own safety,” said one of the officers.
Will the tenants of the nearby collapsed South C buildings be relocated?
Sifuna further said that they were clearing debris to clear their way as they raced against time to reach those who were stuck.
He advised the evacuation of a nearby building, adding that they would inspect it after completing the rescue operations.
Sifuna added that the teams were working hard, controlling the crowd and clearing blocked roads to allow emergency operations to continue efficiently.
The director confirmed that the focus would change to assessing the stability of the affected structures and protecting the neighborhood, with the aim of saving as many lives as possible.
“We are trying very hard to clear the roads blocked by debris. We have advised the neighborhood to at least evacuate the buildings so that we can finish the work and see if the other affected building is safe for the neighborhood. We have taken precautions and are very careful to ensure that we save lives more than being sensitive in saving,” he added.
Source: Facebook
How Nairobi leaders reacted to the collapse of the South C building
The tragedy sparked fresh scrutiny of Nairobi’s construction industry, with Lang’ata Member of Parliament Felix Odiwuor denouncing what he described as a systemic failure.
Jalang’o further accused city developers of abusing political connections in the City Hall to ignore security regulations.
It also raised questions about the observance of the law while the Member of Parliament for Embakasi East Grandpa Owino producing official Nairobi City County approval documents showing that the building was only approved as a 12-storey mixed-use building, not 16 storeys.
Babu said the consent documents showed the safeguards were on paper but raised concerns about the failure of implementation.
The MP demanded a full and transparent investigation covering all inspections and approvals at the county and national levels.
He also called for the suspension of approval for undocumented development and the prosecution of those found guilty.
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